Circuit interrupter



12, 1935- J. D. ELLIS El AL CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER Filed May 25, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS. DEZ/z's Z Gag-9e G Armszrong E N R .0 T T A Nov. 12, 1935. J, Em HA 2,020,935

' CIRCUIT INTERRUPTEK- Filed la 25, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESSES: INVENTORS.

:John D. Ellzs' J2 G eorg e 6. Armstrargq.

WQWMM J. D. ELLIS El AL CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER Nov. 12, 1935.

Filed May 25, 1932 WITH ESSES'.

15 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS.

John D. Ellis 22 Georg 6. Armstrong.

ATTORNEY 20 atingposition.

new Nov. 12, 1935 i I 2 020 935 "umrsb STATES PATENT OFFICE- cnwurr murmur-ran John 1). Ellis, Turtle Creek, and George 0. Armstrong, Wilkinsburg, Pa., asslgnors to Westing-v house Electric 82 Manufacturing Company, East Pittsburgh; PM; a corporation of Pennsyl Application May 25, i932, Serial No. 613,344 1'! Chill. (Cl- 200-144 s Our invention relates, generally, to circuit inand the means by which it is mounted'taken terrupteis and more particularly to electric along the line VI-Vl'. of Fig. 4; switches for interrupting circuits in air. Fig. '7 is a side elevational view, partly in sec- An object of our invention is to provide for pretion, of a switch embodying a further modified 5 venting the closing of the contact members of a rm of ou nv o and switch when the arc chute that houses the con- Fig. 8 is a side elevational view, partly in sectact members is moved from its normal operating tion, of. the switch shown in Fig. '7, but the arc position. v chute being shown in its lifted position. A further-object of our invention is to provide With reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the switch 10 for so constructing and so pivotal'ly mounting an c mp in general, a magn tizi g Winding H arc chute that houses the contact members of a that surrounds a core 2|, an associatedarmature switch as to cause a portion of the arc chute to H, a movable contact member l5 actuated by prevent the closing of the contact members-when the armature ii, a stationary contact member i6, 7 the arc chute is moved from its normal operan arc chute Ii for housing the contact members, ating position, v and an upright member ill for supporting the i It is also an object of our invention to proforegoing parts. vide for deenergizing the magnetizing winding Inaccordance th the usual construction of of a switch when the arc chute that houses the switches, the magnetizing winding H and the contact members is moved from its normal cpercore member 2| are suitably connected to the support II, and the upper end of the armature i2 Another object of our invention is to provide is disposed in cooperative relation to'the core for actuating a member, associated with the arc member 2i, its lower end being pivotaliy mo1mt-, chute, into the space between the engaging sured by means of a pin II to a supporting bracket faces of the contact membersof a contactor i! that is suitably mounted p pp when the arc chute is removed from its normal The stationary contact member I6 is carried operating position. v by an outwardly extending bracket 32 secured to A still further object of our'invention is toprothe support II and mounted above and spaced vide on the inner surface of the are chute a plufrom the magnetizing winding ll. As in usual rality of ridges disposed substantially transverse-' construction, the stationary contact member i6 1y to the travel of an are. between the is removably mounted on bracket it by means contact members of the switch. 'ot a screw 44. By this arrangement, the station- Other objects of our invention and a fuller ary contact'niember It, in case of failure, may understanding thereof may be had by a study of be removed and replaced by a newcontact memthe following description taken in connection her. The movable contact member I! is damned 35 with the accompanying drawings, inwhichz': in operative relation to the stationary contact 35 Figure 1 is a side eievational view, partly in member l8 andis flexibly connectedtothe armasection, of a switch'embodying the features of ture it by nieansot a member il anda retainour invention; I l ing member ll.

Fig.2isaplanviewofthearcchuteandthe Theretainim;memberil -fl' resilient clip by means of which it is pivotally cone-shaped enclosure ll'hsvingatraversely dismounted; osed near its base portion Fig. 313a sid elevational view, partly in sec Y which the lower portionof the movable contact tion,oftheswitchshownin1"ig.1,butwiththe .me la dt up e p arc chute shown in its lifted position: a. p I Fig. 4 is a side elevational view, partly in seowi z z zz f "I. i I ed f purp of retaining the movablecmtac memrm. 5 is a no elevational view, partly in sec- 7 p m h member n is provided with a ridge 2 and the arc-chute m mwd'msmm' m which adjacent e 1 :4 portion of the movable contact 9 M amen Prevent the am member I5 is provided with-a complementary contact members of the switch and dfinf- We. d mum, flit movgize the magnetizing winding of the switch; I able contact member '18 dim ll rigttbaeross-aeetionalviewqithearecliute. thetransverselydisposedridgeIlundertheblias- 76wise For the purpose of insulating the movable contact memberIS from the armature I2, the member I1 is connected to the armature I2 by means of an insulating block I3, which is disposed between the armature I2 and the member IT.

The are chute 3| comprises, generally, an arc chamber 32 and rearwardly extending sides 35 and 36, connected at their rearward end by a bridging member walls of the arc chamber 32 are provided with ribs or ridges disposed substantially transversely to the travel of an are passing between the contact members. We find that, by means of the traverscly disposed ribs 33, the arc is not so apt to restrike after the arc current becomes zero at the end of a half cycle, as it would be if the innersurface of the arc chamber 32 were smooth. Note that the space occupied by the grooves between the ridges may be relatively small as compared to the remaining space of the arc chamber 32, i. e., the grooves need be of only such depth and width surface of the arc chamber.

As illustrated, the arc chute 3| is pivotally mounted by means of a U-shaped spring clip 40 having its open ends 4| .and 42 extending outwardly and the light portion reduced to fit around a screw 43. The light portion is somewhat elongated so that the ends 4I and 42 relative to the securing screw 43. extending ends 4| and 42 are disposed to lit in the illustrated openings provided in the rearwardly extending sides 35 and 36 of the arc chute.

As illustrated, that part' of the supporting bracket 22 to which the U-shaped spring clip 40 is attached, is bent upwardly at a small angle so switch is mounted into a close-fitting cabinet or enclosure (not shown). By means 01' this construction, it is practically impossible to remove the arc chute unless the switch is disconnected from the supply line and removed from the tightfitting enclosure. Accordingly, in no case, will it mature I2 and the core member 24. For the purpose of ensuring that the force or pressure of the movable contact member IS in slightly diflerent However, if the arc chute be rotated in'a counter-clockwise direction to a, point slightly less That is to say, the resultant applied force no longer tends to rotate the arc chute in a clockwise direction but in a counter-clockwise direction towards its normal operating position. As the are chute 3| is actuated towards its normal operating position, the magnetic pull oi the magnetizing Winding gradually increases by reason of the reduced air ga with the result that the increasing applied force of the movable contact member I5 rapidly swings the arc chute to its normal operating position. are described by the bridging member 31, as the arc chute is rotated from its tilted position to its normal position, is such that the movable contact member I5 and the upper end 39 of the member I! successively impart a force to it during the entire downward swing, except for the last few degrees of rotation, which represents the clearance between the upper end 39 of the member I! and the adjacent surface 38 of the bridging member 31 (see Fig. l).

Even if the arc chute 3| were slightly raised from its normal position, equal to the clearance between the upper surface 39 of the vertically disposed member I'I, and the adjacent surface 38 01' the bridging member 37, the arc passing between the contact members I5 and I6 would still be adequately confined within the arc chamber 32. Therefore, by the foregoing arrangement the contact members l5 and I6 can never be closed unless the arc chute is adequately housing the contact members.

However, should operating conditions arise where it is advantageous to have the applied force of the movable contact member I5 to always rotate the arc chute to'its normal operating posi tion regardless of whether or not the arc chute be tilted to its full rotated position, this may be accomplished by merely changing the fulcrum point about which the arc chute rotates.

For the purpose of gaining access to the screw 44 for changing the'stationary contact member IS, without removing the arc chute, the rearmost depending barrier oi the arc chamber is cut away at 34 in an arcuate manner to provide adequate room for a screw driver to engage the screw 44 when the arc chute is tilted or raised to its full rotated position (see Fig. 3).

In Figs. 4, 5 and 6, we provide auxiliary switching means for deenergizing the magnetizing winding II, as well as the closing 01' the contact members 5 and I6 when the arc chute is tilted or raised to its inoperative position. In tion, the arc chute 3| is pivotally mounted in a manner from that disclosed in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 in order to provide available space for the auxiliary switching means. Fig. 6 thus shows the sides 35 and 36 01' the arc chute fulcrumed about two transversely disposed trunnions 52 and 53 carried by the clip SI. "l Zhe bearing clip 5| is secured in position by the screw 44 which connects the stationary contact member I6 to the outwardly extending bracket 22.

The auxiliary switching means comprises a contact finger 55 that is resiliently connected to the insulated blocks GI and 62 by means or a rearwardly extending spring member 5. As illustrated, the rivet 53 which secures the spring member 53 to the insulated blocks I and 62 is in- Sulated from the supporting bracket 22, and the provide means for preventing this embodiment of the inven- Therefore, the current that energizes the magnetizing winding I l flowsfrom the incoming conductor 6| through the supporting bracket '22, the

contact ringer 55, the spring member 58, the conductor 65, the magnetizing winding H, and the conductor .66 to the outgoing conductor 61. Therefore, so long as the arc chute Si is in its normal operating position, the magnetizingwinm, ing II is energized. F

However, as illustrated in Fig. 5, when the arc chute is tilted or raised to its full upper position, the curved portion 51 of contact ringer 55 releasably latches the detent 53 of the arc chute 3| in itsupper position, therebyvdisengaglng t e conta'ctfinger 55 from the supporting bracket 22. Just as contact finger 55 is disengaged from ing bracket 22, the circuit for energizing the magnetizing winding ii is interrupted.

Preferably, the contact finger 55 should be so disposed as to deenergize the magnetizing winding ll substantially at the instant the" resultant of the applied force of the contact member l5 tends to rotate the arc chute in a clock-- wise direction. In no case, therefore, magnetizing winding ll be energized when the arc chute is tilted to its full rotated position.

From the foregoing discussion, it is obvious that winding H can be energized only when the applied force of the is in a counter clockwise direction. The are chute will thus be in its normal operating position whenever an arc exists between the contact members l5 and I5. a In Figs. 7- and 8, we illustrate a further modifled form of our invention. In this embodiment of our invention, the rotation of the arc chute 3| is disposed to actuatea pivotaily mounted sickle-like lever It having a barrier 11 on the re- I mote end thereof for obstructing the path of the by means of a rivet 82. I

, As illustrated, one end of a coil spring is of the sickle-like counter-clockwise contact members l5 and it when the arc chute is in its raised position.- The sickle-like lever 16 is pivotaily mounted, at a point", on a bracket 8| that 'is secured to the supporting bracket 22 inserted through an opening ll in the upper end r lever I5, and the other end is connectedto a'projection 83 at the rear end of the bracket II. The biasing force of the spring 05 is such as to rotate the arc chute in a clockwise direction when the arc chute is raised, but in a directionwhen the arc chute is in its normal position. Whe'n'the arc chute is in its normal= operating position, the force applied at the 'arcuate surface 80 of the sickle-like lever It upon the complementary arcuate surface 15 of therear end of the extending portion 15 of the arc" chute II is such that the arc chute is retained in its normal operating position. Just as soon as thearc'chute Si is raised a predetermined small amount, the applied force at the surfaces 80 and It changes relative to the trun nions 52 and 53am! rotates the arc chute in a clockwise direction; Movement of 3| causes the surfaces lLand ""to become disengaged and allows the spring 5 to biasthe barrier ll of the sickle-like lever 15 upwardly-between the contact'members l5 and It. The full raised position of the arc chute is illustrated in I Fig. 8, and in this position the arcuate surface 18 of the rear end of the extending portion of the arc chute 3| engages a suitable arcuate recess the accompanying drawings pivotaily mounted arc chute means for so mounting [pair "of ,arc chute disposed in cooperative relation with means for the are chute the sickle-like lever 15. .in this embodiment of the invention the barrier I| positively obstructs the path of the contact members l5 It, even though the arc chute 8| may be totally removed.

and for preventing the I of a switch, as well as for de'energizing the mag netizing winding of the switch, when the arc chute 10. that houses the contact members is moved from its normal operating position.

Since certain changes may be made in our invention without departing from scope thereof, it is intended that all matters con- 15 tained in the foregoing description and shown in shall, be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim as our invention:

i. In a circuit interrupter, in combination, a 20 pair of relatively movable contact members, a

in cooperative relation with said contact members, and means actuated by a movement of the arc chute to an inoperative .position to positively prevent the closing of the contact members.

2. In a circuit interrupter, in combination, a pair of relatively movable contact members, an arc chute for housing the contact members, and

the arc chute that it may be moved to expose and to positively'prevent the closing of the contact members when in the position to expose the contact members.

3. In a circuit interrupter, in combinatioma pair of relatively movable contact members, an arc chute disposed in cooperative relation with the contact members, said are chute including a chamber and an obstructing portion, for so pivotaily mounting the arc chute so 'as to cause the chamber 'to expose, and the obstruct- 4 ing portion to prevent the closing of, the contact members when the arc chute is rotated.

4, In a circuit interrupter, in: combination, a pair of relatively movable contact members, an arc chute'disposed in cooperative relation with $5 the contact members, said are chute including an obstructing portion, means for pivotaily mounting the are chute, and means controlled by the obstructing portion to'prevent the closing of the contact members when the are chute is rotated. I

5. In a circuit interrupter, in combination, a relatively movable contact members, an

thecontact members, and means for pivotaily mounting the arc chute, be are chute being so shaped that a portion of it prevents the closing of the contact members when said arc chute is rotated.

6. In a y pair -of relatively movable contact members, an arc chute disposed in cooperative relation with the contact membe said are chute being so shaped that the sides thereof extend rearwardly interconnecting the rearward ends and means for so pivotaily mounting I the arc chute as to cause'theinterconnecting means to preve t the closing of the contact members when the are chute is rotated. 7. In a circuit interrupter, in combination, a 70 movable contact member, an in cooperative relation with shaped that the v means interconnecting the rearward ends of said 75 circuit interrupter, cornbin'ation,a

tact members 1 contact members.

10. In a circuit interrupter, in combination, a pair of relatively movable contact members,

rs. 11. In a circuit interrupter, in combination, a pair of relatively movable contact 12. In a circuit interrupter, in combination,- a stationary and a movable contact member, an

means for causing the opposing force of the movable contact member to rotate the arc chute and said winding tion of the fulcrum.

14. In a circuit interrupter. in combination, a pair of relatively movable contact members, an arc chute wh moved from its normal contact-member-housing 30 position.

15. In combination with a. switch structure including a stationarycontact member and a mova- 17. In a circuit interrupter, in combination, a pair of relatively movable tion exposing the contact members. JOHN D. ELLIS. GEORGE C. ARMSTR NG. 

